Someone who takes the place of another, psychologically. For example, an older sister as a mother surrogate, or a PSYCHOTHERAPIST as a father surrogate. In PSYCHOANALYSIS, the term is often used of someone or something, usually represented UNCONSCIOUSLY in a DREAM, whose function is to conceal the true IDENTITY of the person or object causing powerful feelings.

Learning solely through repetition without any attempt to find meaning or order in the materials.

The mutual influence that people have on each other’s BEHAVIOUR in a social setting.

British psychologist Basil Bernstein’s term for an inarticulate style of communication consisting of short, often unfinished phrases, limited in ideas and information. Said to be typical of the way working-class parents interact with their children. Contrasted with ELABORATED CODE.

Used in TRANSACTIONAL ANALYSIS of acts that demonstrate caring recognition of and attention paid to another person. Analogous to the physical stroking of an infant.

In STATISTICS, a test for deciding whether the MEANS of two groups of scores are significantly different.

Referring to a physical or behavioural characteristic which increases the probability of survival of an individual or a species.

See THEMATIC APPERCEPTION TEST.